Sunday, December 21, 2008

V for Vendetta

rating: 1 of 5 starsJust being real, I did not totally buy into this one. The totalitarian dystopia is a bit too familiar, and the author's idea about the transformational power of violence and chaos feels not just familiar but false. Come to think of it I guess I kind of hated this book.

I have asked for Watchmen for Xmas and I am very much hoping it is better. Everybody seems to like Watchmen so I assume it is. But as far as V for Vendetta goes, let me tell you, this V character is no Captain America.

3 comments:

Couple things on V for Vendetta. First, remember that this came out a long time ago, in the 90's, if not late 80's. So some of the stuff that seems stale was pretty fresh at the time it came out.

Second, I think part of the point of this book is that transformational politics that are based in one man or a small group of people's personal vendetta are often flawed, if not totally wrong. The problems that you see in the protagonists' actions are, I think, meant to be there.

He's a total nutcase, and while definitely presented as a hero by the author, still definitely also presented as pretty crazy. So while there's definitely not a real chance at actual, positive change due to his actions, the idea that perhaps anarchy is better then the totalitarian ideal is pretty simplistic and in keeping with your basic drug and trauma damaged psycho.

From the perspective that crazies can do a lot of damage, for one reason or another, it's a kind of cool story.

You could also look at it as a story about the power of self-determnism, for good or ill.

Just read Watchmen as well - mixed feelings. I do think that had I read it read it in the mid 80's it would have blown my friggin' mind. But I will say it is *never* predictable. That alone is a feat. =) And, I stayed up two nights in a row to finish it!